A PUB and coffee house with connections to author Charles Dickens could become part of a care home.

The 300-year-old Charles Dickens bar and coffee shop, which make up the ground floor of the former King's Head Hotel in Barnard Castle, will shut on September 29.

The owner plans to incorporate them into the King's Court Care Home, which occupies the first floor of the building.

The bar and coffee shop take their name from a visit by author Charles Dickens, who stayed at the King's Head in 1838 while researching his novel Nicholas Nickleby.

Partner Tony Chisholm said nine staff received redundancy notices, and two were offered alternative jobs in the home.

"We have begun negotiations with Teesdale Council, through our architect, as we need to have permission for change of use," said Mr Chisholm.

He and his partners want to convert the front bar into a sitting room, while the back bar will become a dining room and the coffee shop a training school for care home staff.

The main entrance will front on to the Market Place, giving increased security.

It is also proposed to increase the number of beds from 28 to 34.

The part of the building housing the coffee shop was built in 1680. The bar, originally known as the Rose and Crown, was rebuilt in 1774.

Mr Chisholm aims to have the work completed by Christmas, and a sale of effects from the bar and coffee shop will take place on October 16.